AN ANGLER whose brother-in-law was swept to his death off South Gare has returned to Redcar with cash for the town’s lifeboat station.

Richard Milnes was fishing with his brother-in-law Keith Ellerby when tragedy struck on October 24 last year.

A huge wave swept Mr Ellerby into the sea and, after a major rescue effort, he was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. Tragically he later died.

The 64-year-old manager at York Hospital had given nearly 50 years’ service to the NHS. And now his family, friends and colleagues have raised £1,570 for Redcar Lifeboat Station as a thank-you for their efforts in trying to save him.

The money will go towards buying new lifejackets to be issued soon. Lifeboat crews across the north of England will receive the new, state-of-the-art lifejackets this year, at an average cost of £3,000 per station.

The cash was presented by Mr Milnes, of York, who regularly visits family on Teesside. He and Keith regularly fished off South Gare.

Mr Milnes, 63, explained the cash mainly came from a charity evening held at the York District Hospital social club.

He said: “Like every charity, they need the coffers filling up so this is a way of helping do that. It could buy equipment which helps them pull someone from the water alive.”

Dave Cocks, of Redcar Lifeboat, said: “It was such a tragic event, so for people to be generous enough to think about fundraising for the RNLI in those circumstances is very humbling.